Sunday, December 26, 2010

Some suggest that 'life is magical'. Others feel that life is intelligent. Another group thinks life was sent by an entity. I say that life is both magical and intelligent; and it is possibly sent to earth by itself and not by an 'unknown' entity. No one knows for sure of the latter. However, all would agree on the first two.

Question:
To analyze the thought together, let me present a simple question. If there is one life to live, should we all have the same intellect? Meaning, if all lives begin at zero knowledge, we all should be learning everything at the same rate given the same mother, father, neighbor, village, town, society, school, and etc... However, we see that every life has different intellect and learn at different rate; even the twins born in the same housewhole do not end at the same knowledge. People living in the same house, same town, same village disagree on many topics even though the goal is the same. WHY? hints: intellect and knowledge

My opinion is that all lives are born with different levels of intellect/knowlege and not at zero as mentioned in previous paragraph. We learn and retain information at different rate based on our mind and consciousness. If this is so, where did the intellect and knowledge come from the moment the infact is born. Some people excel in certain subject(s) faster than their peers as they age. Others recall things they have never encountered in this lifetime. And a small group claim they can see the unseen or the future. Are they nuts? crazy? Unless we are ignorant ourselves, we should not claim that they are nuts or crazy. There might just be some truth to what they say and see.

My Answer
Mind and consciousness don't die like the physical body. They continue to exist with and through time and space. How is it possible? Well, mind and consciousness consist of small particles - unseen to a naked eye. Similar to a housewhole electrical wire. We don't see it is alive; but we can feel it is. We can feel the current running from end to end and back to its source. Reincarnation Evidence: Stevenson's Research, Youtube, http://www.youtube.com/. When the intellect and consciousness are not in the seen form/body, they express themselve through other means - some call them spirits, ghosts, or gods. When they are incarnated in the body, they bring back all the past intellect and knowledge. They continue their lives from the past. This is what makes each of the living forms unique. Whether we are born as a dog, a cat, a plant, or a human, we retain our intellect and memories. Now, if we believe that tomorrow, next month, next year, next lifetime depends on our current and past actions, then this lifetime must have come from the pastlife.

We can now picture the scenes from these examples. Regardless of how knowledgeable some of us are about the good and evil, black and white, heaven and hell, the unavoidable circumstances must happen. Life continues, and conforms to KARMA, from the past with or without realizing the end result. Some southeasterners believe that their actions, or KARMA, determine their future. The meaning not only is meant for this lifetime but also for the next lifetime as well. For instance, if you kill a dog, the same scene will be repeated in the next lifetime. Only that you are the subject. If you do good in this lifetime, you will take all the goods you have done with you to the next lifetime.

Conclusion
We should not disprove or reject the concept of past-life or future-life. Rather, all of us should do our own research on the topic. Afterall, the action we make at this moment determines our future. In my opinion, those who understand the concept fare well with their life. Perhaps something is missing in your life; or perhaps you are going through hardships. After all the readings, take an insight meditation - specifically vipassana meditation. Why meditation? hints: when you are at peace, you see things clearer; you just might be able to travel through time and space just like your counterpart - intellect and knowledge.

Monday, December 13, 2010

The word Kamma (pali) or Karma (sanskrit) comes from an ancient indian language. This term was used in Northern India around 550 BC and usually inscribed in religious text.

Today, the term is comparable to the phrase 'Cause And Effect' which is commonly used in scientific writing or 'Golden Rules' which is used in religious conversation. The south easterners use this term to refer to 'Good Actions Produce Good Results' and vice versa.

Although the word KAMMA has nothing to do with religion other than referring to ACTION, people (usually southeasterners) usually attach this word in conversation to remind them to do good. People are fortunate to have such a word to help guide them to the path of happiness when nothing else seems to work.

To truly understand everything about ourselves, our homes, our cities, countries, and our world is to reflect on, first, our past KAMMA. In my previous blog, I mentioned the words 'PRESENT' and 'NOW' which is the result of this past KAMMA. The future then will be the result of what is currently (PRESESNT, NOW) being developed. Good or bad, thou shall receive.

Nothing in this world and other worlds is coincidental. Everything which has happened or will happen can be explained. The difficult part is understanding it. We all have different knowledge and different levels of intelligence. Therefore, we all will not perceive the result the same way.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Memories play a major role in everything that we see, feel, create, and destroy. Without these memories, the thinking would be impossible. Regardless of what time of day, the unattentive consciousness continues to create and destroy new events based on the stored memories. Like ocean waves, rise and fall. The waves themselves don't just rise without some kind of force that had begun. Simply put, nothing can be created without some kind of memories or force.

I don't know why anyone would want to know about the present. Perhaps for personal reasons or perhaps for reasons of others. Or perhaps we just need to know how we got here - no magic involved. My reason is because the 'Present' is too powerful. So powerful that it magically creates the past and the future instantanteously. This creation, Kamma, is very important to the past and the future. Whether it is your creation, my creation, or anyone's creation, it affects us all - soon or later. This is enough reason to bring us to contemplating on the Present, the Here, and the Now.

When trying to understand the Present or the Now, we realistically and truthfully analyze these memories with compassion in mind. Some will bring back the memories from yesterday, others from yesteryear, and some from childhood. And still, a small group will bring back the memories from a thousand or even a couple of thousand years past. We understand the Present based on our past memories. If we have a large collection of memories, perhaps our understanding of the Present is clearer than those who only have a few to analyze. Once we understand the Present, it is up to us to shape the future.

If reincarnation is real, the future will belong to us. But if reincarnation is not real, the future will still belong to our children and their children. Jack Panyakone

If heaven is real, doing good to others will eventually send us to heaven. But if heaven is not real, doing good to others will still eventually send us to peaceful state of mind in this life time. Jack Panyakone

Monday, June 21, 2010

This is a question to the mind itself; because Mind has a mind of its own. If it truly has a mind of its own, then it could be both.

If Reality is subjective, it must be able to think and analyze without superiority. Perhaps Mind is superior to Reality. Reality is really whatever Mind wants it to be. Mind reasons through the use of its consciousness (memories). All lives are dictated by their minds. Everything that we see and feel were created by the Mind. Therefore, Reality is subjective to only the Mind itself.

It is questionable to think if Reality is objective. We don't really know if Reality has a goal to attain. Perhaps it does but then again; perhaps it does not. However, if we think lives were created by the Mind then lives are tentatively the objects of the Mind. In this sense, Reality is too objective to the Mind and has a purpose of being whatever the Mind wants it to be. Using any known object that is created by any life, we can see that these objects have purpose and dictated by the Mind itself.

I mentioned the word 'tentatively' earlier in this paragraph due to the fact that all visible (and some invisible) forms or objects are temporarily. They will expire in time. This is not the case with Mind. Mind and Consciousness live on forever. You have heard previous life, present life, and next life.

There is no conclusive evidence to think that Reality is subjective or objective. Reality is whatever Mind wants it to be - either objective or subjective or both.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Perception: An understanding, recognition, insight, or intuition from our senses

How does one come to understand anthing? Life's perception is based solely on its learned knowledge, experiences, and feelings (senses). Knowledge, experiences, and feelings are unique to each and every life. The learned knowledge are acquired through various sources such reading, friends and teachers, and thought. Experiences are acquired through interactions with reading, friends and teachers, and thought. Feelings are acquired from knowledge and experiences. Perception is therefore based on these three items and perhaps more..

To simplify the concept of perception is to come up an easy to understand equation (e.g. mind + consciousness + recept (already formed idea) + precept (society and culture) + misc (other) = perception). This, in my view, is how one perceives things. It is because of these variables, we understand things differently than our counter part.

With this said, it is best not to argue with your colleagues. If s/he thinks that they are right, it does not really make us wrong. We could also be right based on the above equation. It is best not to be too firm with one's belief but to be open to the possibilities that are out there.

In short, perception is based on one's own learned knowlege, experiences, and feelings. Perception comes to exist from the followings criterias:

Monday, May 24, 2010

A truly story. Although the story is about right and wrong, moral and immoral; it is connected to our consciousness and mind.

While working at the gymnasium, one of the three teenagers who were performing community work asked me if I knew martial arts. I guess the perception is that all asians know martial arts. The dialoque went like this:

Me: I am against fighting. paused.. harming others is not a good way to live.
Young man: What if you have to defend yourself.
Me. Why would you have to defend yourself? Unless you put yourself in the situation.
Young man: What if you get mugged in the street?
Me: Why would you get mugged? Unless you somehow invite the intruder.
Young man: What if your car broke down and you had to walk to a gas station.
Me: How often will your car break down?

The young man continued with more what if questions. I, on the other hand, answered his questions with a simple question - to trigger a thought processor "mind".

Young man: What if you get robbed at the house?
Me: Why would you live in the neighborhood where robbery is likely to occur? Robbery is likely to occur where security is insufficient.

Finally the truth came out. The young man's mind triggered the memories that caused him to pose these 'what-if' questions.

Young man: What if you are stuck?
Me: Well, if you are stuck, you cannot undo the past. It will remain with you forever. However, you can create different atmosphere around your past. For instance, if your memories are like an ugly hole formed in front of your house, no one would want to stop by and speak to you - your past is too ugly. If you could decorate it with rocks and flowers making it more enticing for people to stop by. In addition, add water to the hole so it looks more like a decorative pond. Your ugly hole will be covered with beauty. I am sure people will begin to stop by and talk to you. This is how you cover up your past. We can relate rocks, flowers, and water to love, kind, and compassion. Keep in mind, the moment you stop taking care of these three items, your ugly side will begin to show up. Mind and consciousness do not just die. They forever exist. The memories of our actions continue to popup - especially the bad ones. And we continue to live with either fond memories or bad memories.

I am not sure how the young man took what I shared with him. But I do hope he would reflect on the information given to him.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

I ask a friend a week ago - where are your memories? She replied - in my head. I, then, gave her a couple of statements and asked her another question. It went like this:

If you think all memories are stored in the head, how much memories have you stored in it since your birth? And, how come your head does not seem to get bigger? And, if a doctor cuts your head open, do you think he would find all these memories?

It is very common that we, or any life, make statements based on our past experiences - mostly without any logic. Maybe because we have heard it a thousand times before. It is not that we are incapable of analyzing the thought. We, some of us, just don't like to take time to logically think through. Perhaps there is a logic behind this statement as well - don't take time to think.

In the last post, I mentioned that mind and consciousness do have physical bodies. But they are so small that we cannot see. Compared to electricity, they are smaller than particles found in electricity. Within a living life, any life, there are electrically charged particles called mind and consciousness, in my view. These two words make up living life. To confirm the last statement is to put your finger on a bare electrical cord with power turned on. If you get electrocuted, this confirms the statement. You must not use a plastic glove for the experiment though.

Memories are not stored in the head as my friend had suggested. They are everywhere and references in consciousness itself. The actual place of a thought object is the actual location of that particular memory. If we say a house is located at 123 My Street. The memory is, therefore, also located at 123 My Street - not in the head. For instance, if we are 1000 miles away from this house, the memory is still at this location - 1000 miles away from the head. To prove this argument is to drive to this location and see if the house is there - don't drive to you head. Our conscious compares 1. the stored reference in the consciousness to 2. the actual location when our senses are triggered (e.g. senses are sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste, and intuition). If the two are not equal, we question. Otherwise, the mind updates the reference in the consciousness.

In summary, memories are stored at the actual location of the object or the subject. Our mind stores references of these memories in consciousness. As always, before accepting or denying this notion, one should always logically analyze the subject matter.